Just after 2 p.m. on September 10, 1944, a U. S. Navy SBD-5 Dauntless aircraft, (Bu. No. 54180), with two men aboard, took off from Otis Filed. The pilot was a navy ensign. The second man was Army Sergeant James Edwin Senter, (21 or 22).

The aircraft was seen to climb several hundred feet before it suddenly went into a downward spin to the left. The pilot managed to jump clear of from an altitude of 500 feet, and his parachute opened just before he hit the ground. Although injured, he would survive.

Sergeant Senter is buried in St. Joseph’s Cemetery in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. He enlisted in the army in 1940 at the age of 18. To see a photo of his grave go to www.findagrave.com, Memorial #173920812.

On the morning of May 31, 1949, Lt.(jg.) Roland G. Wittig, (25), was making a landing approach to Otis Air Force Base in a F8F-1B Bearcat, (Bu. No. 121522). While at an altitude of 500 feet the engine suddenly began to loose power. The pilot continued his descent with wheels and flaps down and the canopy locked open. At approximately 60 feet of altitude, the aircraft was seen to stall and crash into the ground where it exploded, killing the pilot instantly.

Lt.(jg.) Wittig was assigned to Fighter Squadron 32, (VF-32), at Quonset Point, R.I. He’s buried in George Washington Memorial park in Paramus, New Jersey. He was survived by his wife.

On June 12, 1947, an F8F-1 Bearcat, (Bu. No. 95125), left Quonset Point Naval Air Station in Rhode Island bound for Otis AFB in Falmouth, Massachusetts. Upon landing at Otis, the right wing dropped and struck the runway causing the aircraft to flip onto its back and skid for approximately 500 feet before it came to rest. The aircraft was badly damaged, but the pilot was not seriously injured.

On June 27, 1947, a flight of F8F Bearcats left the Quonset Naval Air Station bound for Otis Air Force base in Falmouth, Massachusetts, to conduct practice carrier landings and takeoffs The aircraft were assigned to VF-8A at Quonset.

Once at Otis the aircraft commenced the takeoff and landing exercise. As one aircraft, (Bu. No. 95227), was making its approach for its sixth landing, in came in too close behind the aircraft ahead of it. After landing, the pilot applied the brakes to avoid a rear-end collision with the plane ahead, but at that moment the left brake failed which caused the aircraft to swerve off the runway and onto a grassy area. On the grassy area was a parked truck, which the pilot would have struck had he not intentionally ground-looped the aircraft. After missing the truck, the aircraft went into a small ravine and nosed over onto its back. The aircraft was substantially damaged, but the pilot was not seriously hurt.

On June 5, 1947, Ensign Orin William Ross, (24), was piloting a navy dive bomber making practice landings and take offs at Otis Air Force Base in Falmouth, Massachusetts. While making a practice landing, the aircraft suddenly stalled and crashed onto the runway and exploded, killing Ensign Ross. Ensign Ross was assigned to Carrier Squadron VA-17A stationed at Quonset Naval Air station in North Kingstown, Rhode Island.

The exact type of aircraft was not stated.

Ensign Ross is buried in Bristow cemetery in Bristow, Oklahoma. To see a photo of his grave go to www.findagrave.com, #25974219.